Metal felly for wheels



H. EJLAMBERT. Metal-Pally for Wheels.

No. 225,225. Patented Mar. 9, I880.

WITNESSES INVENTOR.

A011 ATTORNEY.

NFETERS, FHOTO-LITMOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C

NHED STATES ATENT I Erica.

HENRY E. LAMBERT, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

METAL FELLY FOR WHEELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 225,225, dated March 9, 1880.

Application filed August 30, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRYE. LAMBERT, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Fellies for Wheels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings illustrating the same and forming part hereof.

This invention relates to certain improvements upon the fellies shown and described in Letters Patent No. 189,162, granted April 3, 1877, to William A. Wharton and myself, as assignees of said Wharton, and is designed to perfect the fellies therein described in the particulars hereinafter specified, which use has been demonstrated necessary to the practical success of such fellies.

The invention consists in hollow malleable iron fellies united by a U or equivalent shaped flange or tenon on one end of one felly entering a correspondingly-shaped socket in the end of the adjacent felly to form a close joint without the use of dowels, bolts, or pins, and holes or inortises.

The invention further consists in hollow metal fellies having spoke and bolt socket bridge-pieces arranged transversely of the fellies and a series of inclined or trusslike ribs connecting said bridge-pieces longitudinally of the fellies to strengthen and-brace said fellies against lateral and longitudinal strain,'the whole being formed preferably in one casting.

The invention further consists in a 'wheel having a rim composed of hollow malleable iron fellies united by flanges or tenons of the same shape as the fellies and sockets of the same circumference as the fellies and a tireencircling said fellies.

The invention finally consists in the combination, in a wheel, of metal fellies having U- shaped flanges or tenons and washers of similar shape constructed to encircle such flanges and removable to permit the contraction of the wheel.

In the drawings referred to, Figure 1 is a partly-sectional elevation of two fellies illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a top-plan view of one such felly. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the block or washer used in this form of felly. Fig. 4 is an end view of the flange or tenon end of the felly, and Fig. 5 is a similar view of the socket end, both showing the ends of the folly closed.

A represents a felly, made of the ordinary U shape in cross-section, and preferably of malleable iron. The ends of this felly are closed by solid transverse bridge-pieces a, and from one end there projects a U'shaped flange or tenon, b, and the other end is made with a correspondingly-shaped socket, c, which latter is but a continuation of the walls of the felly, while the flange or tenon is of smaller diameter by the thickness of such Walls, so as to fit closely within the socket. It will be understood that the shape of the flange b and socket c partake of the-contour of the felly.

As shown in Fig. 1, the fellies are united simply by inserting the flange or tenon of one felly into the socket of thenext adjacent one, the tire, when shrunk and bolted on, serving to lock together all the fellies composing the rim. By this construction the fellies are intimately and closely united, and dowels, bolts or pins, and holes or sockets dispensed with, the end walls a of the fellies being thereby left solid, so as to prevent the ingress of water into the felly. The fellies are thus also adapted to be more readily put together and at less expense, there being a saving of quite fifty cents per set or wheel in the finishing.

The spoke-sockets (2 (two to each felly) are formed in transverse bridge-pieces, as in the patent above referred to. I have found that it is advisable to use bolts in fastening on the tire, and I therefore enlarge the central transverse bridge-piece e and form in it a bolthole or socket, f, through which is passed the tire-bolt, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1.

Between the ends a and spoke-sockets I form ribs g, and between the spoke-sockets and bolt-sockets I arrange similar ribs h. The ribs 9 incline from the walls a downwardly toward 'the bases of the spokesockets and rise from the bottom of the felly, while the ribs h, rising likewise from the bottom of the felly, incline in reverse direction from the top of the bolt-socket bridge-piece to the bottoms of the spoke-socket pieces, whereby said series of ribs act as trusses to strengthen and brace contracted to the extent of the thickness of the 'felly, preventing lateral and longitudinal the spokes, are shown in broken lines, Fig. 1.

rupture. The said ribs are in a line central of the felly and extend its length.

Heretofore metal fellies have been made with-a central wall of the same height and thickness as the outer wall; but the greater amount of metal required in making such wall adds to the weight and cost of the felly without, in my judgment, effecting beneficial results commensurate therewith.

I-n putting up wheels with my fellies, in order to permit the contraction of the rim when it becomes, from any cause, loose, I insert one or more blocks or washers, t, between the fellies, arranging them upon the flange b, as shown at the center of Fig. 1. This washer is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, its shape being that of the flange, and of outside diameter equal to that of the felly. When the rim is to be contracted the fellies may be-separated and one or more of these washers removed, and the fellies being reunited, the rim will be the removed washers.

The tire and its bolts, and also the ends of What I claim is- 1. A hollow metal felly provided at one end with a flange or tenon equal in diameter or circumference to that of the felly less the thickness of the walls of such felly, and at. the other end with a socket made as a continuation of the walls of the felly, whereby said socket incloses the tenon of the adjacent felly and forms a tight joint, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A hollow metal felly having transverse bridge-pieces and longitudinal inclined or truss like ribs intermediate thereof,substantially as described.

3. A hollow metal felly having transverse bridge-pieces provided with spoke and tirebolt sockets and longitudinal connecting inclined or truss-like ribs, substantially as de scribed.

4. A Wheel having a rim composed of hollow malleable iron fellies united by flanges or tenons of the same shape as the felly and sockets of the same diameter or circumference as the fellies and a tire, substantially as described.

5. In a wheel, metal fellies having U -shaped flanges or tenons, in combination with washers of similar shape constructed to encircle such flanges or tenons, substantially as and for the purpose described.

To the above specification of my invention I have signed my name this 27th day of August, A. D. 1879.

HENRY E. LAMBERT.

Witnesses:

L. O. CASTNER, D. N. SEELY. 

